Label holder for binder



Aug. 5, 1958 L. NICKOW ETAL LABEL HOLDER FOR BINDER Filed May 1, 1957 IN VENTORS w s K VI WC M O- K R C W O A K NC A ST w Y wMH Y B VA-yr United States Patent LABEL HOLDER FOR BINDER Louis Nickow, Martin A. Nickow, and Hy Nickow, Chi- Application May 1, 1957, Serial No. 656,403

3 Claims. (Cl. 281-36) The present invention is directed to an improved label holder assembly for binders of various dGSCI'lPllOn.

There are many types of binders available commercially in which a label holder for a replaceable label is included as an integral part of the structure. For the most part, however, these label holders have taken the form of sheet metal strips which must be cr mped or otherwise secured in position to the binder. This type of structure adds a considerable amount to the cost of the finished binder and is not always satisfactory because the edges of the metal strip frequently becomes separated slightly from the body of the binder where they may cut the finger of the user or tear the material of the binder. V The present invention is directed to an nnproved type of label holder structure which is particularly applicable to loose leaf binders, but it will be appreciated that the structure here described is equally applicable to other types of binders widely of varying shape and size.

An object of the present invention 18 to provide an improved label holder assembly which is considerably more economical to manufacture than the label holders which are now commercially available.

Another object of the invention is to provide a label holder assembly for a binder which is considerably more decorative and eye-pleasing in appearance than the label holder structures presently available.

Another object of the invention is to provide a label holder structure which has very little tendency to fray and which employs no exposed metal parts, thereby eliminating the possibility of snagging.

A further description of the present invention will be made in conjunction with the attached sheet of drawings in which:

Figure l is a view in perspective of a loose leaf binder employing the improved label holder of the present invention;

Figure 2 is an exploded view with parts in elevation illustrating the positioning of the elements of the structure as they would appear in assembled relation; and

Figure 3 is an exploded view similar to Figure 2 but illustrating the parts in perspective.

As shown in the drawings:

Figure 1 illustrates generally a loose leaf binder composed of any suitable material such as a paper reinforced canvas, or paperboard covered with an artificial leather or the like.

The binder 10 includes opposed covers 11 and 12 which are hingedly secured at their ends to a binder back 13 composed of relatively stiff material. While the drawings illustrate a fabric type binder, it will be appreciated that the label holder of this invention can also be applied to other types of binders, such as those employing metallic hinges. The improved label holder of the present invention is illustrated generally at numeral 14 in Figure 1 and provides a dust proof housing for a label which facilitates removal and replacement of the label as necessary.

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The label holder structure is best illustrated in the exploded views of Figures 2 and 3. A backing member 16 composed of a relatively inflexible material such as a steel strip or the like has a plurality of ears 17 struck therefrom to provide an anchoring means for securing the conventional loose leaf rings thereto. The holes left by striking out the cars 17 in the backing member 16 detract from the appearance of the label holder, and for that reason, we prefer to include a cover strip 18 composed of glazed paper or the like behind the backing member 16. The strip 18 may be adhesively secured or the like to the back of the backing member 16 to cover up the metallic surface and to cover up the holes left by striking out the ears 17. The exposed surface of the strip 18 should be relatively smooth to facilitate sliding movement of the label.

A spacer 19 composed of relatively flexible material such as a chipboard or the like is received in abutting relation with a portion of the backing member 16 and has a lower edge 19a substantially coplanar with a lower edge 16a of the backing member 16 when the two parts are put in assembled relation. In the particular form of the invention illustrated in the drawings, the backing member 16 has a slight curvature and the flexibility of the spacer 19 is suiiicient to enable the spacer 19 to conform accurately to the rear surface of the backing member 16.

The spacer 19 serves as a locating means and as an abutment means for the label assembly proper which consists of a strip of paper or the like 21 and a transparent, flexible window 22 composed of cellulose acetate or other natural or synthetic resin sheet material. In assembled relation, the paper 21 and the window 22 have their corresponding lower edges 21a and 22a resting on the upper edge 1% of the spacer 19. In order to accommodate relative sliding movement of the label assembly within the structure, the combined thickness of the paper 21 and the window 22 is made no larger than the thickness of the spacer 19.

A partition member 23 composed of a relatively flexible material such as chipboard is received behind the spacer 19 in assembled relation and is also sufficiently flexible to be shaped into conformance with the contour of the backing member 16.

The partition member 23 is provided with an aperture 24 so arranged that when the label holder structure is in assembled relation, the aperture 24 will expose at least part of the label assembly consisting of the paper 21 and the window 22.

The outer surface for the binder is provided by a web 26 composed of any suitable material such as imitation leather, canvas, or the like. The web 26 includes a rear panel 27 having an aperture 28 formed therein of substantially the same size as the aperture 24 in the partition 23. The rear panel 27 is suitably slit as indicated at numeral 29 to provide tab portions 31 of sufficient width so that they may be received through and beyond the aperture 23. The tabs 31 thereby cover the walls surrounding the aperture 24 so that no edges of the partition 23 are exposed. With this type of structure, the possibility of fraying of the cover material is substantially reduced. To prevent the possibility of the label assembly tearing the upper tab portion 31 loose during assembly, the edges of the upper tab portion may be covered by an adhesive strip (not shown) which secures that tab portion to the rear surface of the panel 27.

The upper portion of the rear panel 27 is folded behind the upper edge of the partition 23 along a fold line generally indicated at numeral 32 and is preferably adhesively secured to the rear of the partition 23. The lower end of the rear panel 27 is folded along a fold line generally indicated at numeral 33 of suflicient width to cover the lower edges of the: partition member 23, the spacer 19, and the backing member 16 so that in the assembled relation, the lower extremity of the rear panel 27 is received behind the backing member 16, to which it may be adhesively secured.

With the type of label holder assembly of the present invention, the paper 21 and the window 22 may be easily removed as desired simply by sliding the two parts upwardly in the space provided between the partition 23 and the backing member 16. Furthermore, the label assembly is positively located by the abutment provided by the spacer 19 in correct alignment within the structure. All of these are accomplished without use of sheet metal parts which add considerably to the cost and difliculty in manufacture.

It will be evident that various modifications can be made to the described embodiment without departing from the scope of the present invention.

We claim as our invention:

1. A label holder structure for binders and the like comprising a relatively stiff backing member, a relatively flexible spacer abutting and conforming to the surface of said backing member, said spacer having a lower edge which is substantially coplanar with the lower edge of said backing member, a label having a thickness less than the thickness of said spacer disposed along the upper edge of said spacer, a relatively flexible partition member disposed behind said spacer and substantially coextensive with said backing member, said partition member having an aperture therein exposing at least part of said label, and a web of flexible material covering the outer surface of said partition, said web having an aperture therein arranged to register with the aperture in said partition member, the portions of said web about the aperture in said web being foldable inwardly through the aperture in said partition to provide an integral covering for the walls of said apertures when said apertures are in registry.

2. A label holder structure for binders and the like comprising a relatively stifl backing member, a relatively flexible spacer abutting and conforming to the surface of said backing member, said spacer having a lower edge which is substantially coplanar with the lower edge of said backing member, a label disposed along the upper edge of said spacer, a transparent sheet having an edge bottomed on the upper edge of said spacer, the combined thickness of said label and said sheet being no greater than the thickness of said spacer, a relatively flexible partition member disposed behind said spacer and substantially coextensive with said backing member, said partition member having an aperture therein exposing at least part of said label, and a web of flexible material covering the outer surface of said partiiton, said web having an aperture therein arranged to register with the aperture in said partition member, the portions of said web about the aperture in said web being foldable inwardly through the aperture in said partition to provide an integral covering for the walls of said apertures when said apertures are in registry.

3. A label holder structure for binders and the like comprising a relatively stiff backing member, a relatively flexible spacer abutting and conforming to the surface of said backing member, said spacer having a lower edge which is substantially coplanar with the lower edge of said backing member, a label having a thickness less than the thickness of said spacer disposed along the upper edge of said spacer, a relatively flexible partition member disposed behind said spacer and substantially coextensive with said backing member, said partition member having an aperture therein exposing at least part of said label, a web of flexible material covering the outer surface of said partition, said web having an aperture therein arranged to register with the aperture in said partition member, the lower edge of said web extending beyond the lower edge of said partition member a sufficient amount so that the overhanging edge of said web may be bent against the inner side of said backing member and secured thereto, said web also having slits about the aperture located therein defining tabs of sulficient Width to be received through the aperture in said partition member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

